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Saturday, April 18, 2009

Blocks for Baltimore

Part of my preparation for my upcoming workshops in Baltimore has been creating pre-sewn blocks to sell on my vendor's table.

I've done this for a variety of reasons:

--my students are from an embroidery background, not from quilting. Some may want to pursue the crazy quilt aspect of what they learn, but they may not enjoy the applique process as much as the embellishment. Plus, most of them have wonderful thread stashes, but probably not much fabric on hand. (I'll be selling little fabric packs, too.)

--I wanted them to see, if nothing else, that all fabrics are eligible for this kind of work! Combining different textures and fiber contents adds to the richness of any piece.

--creating these blocks over the last few days has made me utterly and intimately familiar with the process of working this way, from start to finish. This "refresher course" should help my teaching go more smoothly.

--It was SO MUCH FUN to dive in and play with my fabrics. It has been way too long since I have done that.

I made 12, and will charge $20.00 apiece for them. I avoided "busy" fabrics because these blocks are intended as backgrounds for embellishments, and the fabrics should support that, not compete...

So have a look!

Using my favorite fabrics with abandon was just an incredible joy!Here they are all together on the design wall. They are trimmed to 11" X 11", and should finish out at about 9" X 9".

23 comments
:

I love your color combinations, and your smooth curved seams. I keep finding references on lots of CQ blogs to a tutorial you had on your old blog for stitch 'n flip curved seams -- would you consider recreating that sometime?

Lovely selection, Allie! I am sure your students will be excited to see, touch and purchase these. I am interested that you are using a curvy format for the block; is this to do with the subject matter of your class, or do you just prefer curved piecing to something more angular?

ooh la la!! A veritable cacophony of color and curvaceousness!! I cannot WAIT To learn this. You don't know this, but I think the first time I "met" you was when I found your "Courage" block (spelled in rhinestones) on Flickr and you used that beautiful pink/paleyellow/peach two tone ribbon and beautiful curved piecing...I fell in love then and there and still have that picture in my inspiration file. You should revisit it's beauty...it's really really lovely... aah, you never forget your first love...

Allie, the curves are lovely... and it sure looks like you had a great time choosing the colors/fabrics. I think that if I were one of the people at your table it would be hard to pass up any one of those beautiful pieces. It looks as if with the curves and all that there is more room for embelishment. Nice! How can you give them up? You may have to do another one just for you!

Allie, that would be an absolutely gorgeous quilt. The colors are spectacular, looks like you delving into a jewel box. You won't have a one of those left over!PatPatricia Rose-A Potpourri of Fabric, Fragrance and Findingswww.patriciarose-apotpourri.comwww.patriciarose-apotpourriof.blogspot.com

those are lovely lovely blocks.. those would make a beautiful quilt.. looking at them - do you topstitch them down? It's too small to see.. I always wondered how one would do the curves.. my blocks are always so angular.